The Story of Us
by lyds22
Summary: A collection of drabbles surrounding the special moments between Fabian and Joy before Nina's arrival. Before Joy lost the boy she once knew, along with the friendship she thought she would have forever. Rated T for reasons. COMPLETE.
1. Tickled with Kisses

The Story of Us

Chapter One

**~oOo~**

_I wonder where the friendship went. What about the days and the memories we spent? Now it feels like I'm being replaced. Now it feels like I don't know you._

**~oOo~**

"Fabes!" I whined, tugging slightly on his arm. "You promised you would help me...you're my study-buddy." I stuck out my bottom lip, widening my eyes and stared at him.

Fabian sighed. "Joy...I-I'm sorry, but I can't. I have to help Nina and Amber with something." He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, giving me a small smile. "Maybe later, yeah?"

I forced my lips to form by most convincing half-smile, trying to hide the hurt that I knew was in my eyes. "Yeah...maybe another time." I confirmed.

Fabian's expression grew relieved, and he gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Good." He smiled calmly. With that, he spun around and walked off towards the staircase, just as Nina and Amber came bustling down the stairs.

I watched as Nina's eyes lit up excitingly when she spotted Fabian coming towards her, and the way Fabian's eyes danced with agonizingly as she whispered something...something that had to be important, into his ear. He gave Nina a look that was all-too familiar to me, a look that he usually only saved for me.

But not anymore.

Immense jealously came over me. I couldn't help it. I tried not to stare as Fabian and Nina discussed something quietly at the top of the staircase; but it was too hard not to. Amber's light-blue eyes caught my gaze on their area, and they narrowed suspiciously at me. I quickly looked down to hide my fire-hot cheeks and averted my eyes to the wall next to me; pretending to admire the picture hanging up on the wall.

"Nina, stop it!" I whipped my head around at the sound of Fabian's voice echoing through the room. Looking up, I grimaced at the sight of Nina tickling Fabian, obviously amused by the sight of him suffering playfully. They were both cracking up as Nina continued to poke at his body while Fabian tried to slap Nina's hand away lightly.

A memory from a few years ago came flashing back through my mind, one that hadn't occurred for a long time.

**~oOo~**

"Joy!" Fabian cried, trying hard to hold in the laughter that was dying to escape. I cracked up hysterically as my hands tickled his back, shoulders and neck; his most vulnerable spots. Being best friends for two years really had it's advantages. We were walking back to the House of Anubis from our school.

"Stop that!" He demanded, though I could still see the amusement in his brown orbs.

"Give me back my bag, and your wish will be granted." I held out my left hand, while my right continued to poke his back repeatingly.

Fabian took a deep breath, and smiled evilly, clutching my bag tightly. "You'll have to catch me first."

As quick as lighting, he pushed past me, and broke off into a sprint down the sidewalk towards Anubis house.

"Get back here!" I called, and took off after him.

I couldn't let him see my diary, which I always kept in my bag. I thought it would have been safer there; but apparently I had been mistaken. There were too many personal, private things in there... things that would ruin everything.

My breath began to give away, but I pushed the desire to rest out of my head, and kept chasing after him. Getting back my bag was way to important.

Soon, I found myself closing up on him. Either he was growing tired or was slowing down just to tease me.

"I'm getting closer!" I taunted, my hands struggling to grab the fabric of Fabian's blazer.

"I'll never give up!" Fabian shouted triumphantly. I rolled my eyes at his choice of words, and used all of the strength my body could muster to keep running. For a nerdy boy; Fabian could run like the wind.

Seconds later, Fabian looked at me over his shoulder. His eyes grew concerned as he noticed my fatigue appearance. I was practically gasping for breath, clutching my sides.

"Hey, are you alright?" He asked softly, coming closer to me.

An idea struck me, and I looked up. Without a second thought, I flung myself at him. He caught me lazily in his arms, losing his balance as my body collided with his. We both tumbled onto the grass, rolling around. My hands were wrapped around his body as we giggled like little kids, though we were thirteen.

Eventually, we stopped, and I could finally catch my breath. My stomach hurt from laughing so much, and the lack of breath I had while chasing Fabian. I was so caught up in my thoughts, that I didn't even realize Fabian was lying on top of me.

I couldn't help but admire his side-swept hair, and how it had an almost dark-red twinge to it in the sunlight. His beautiful dark-brown orbs eyed my own light-brown ones, sending chills down my spine.

Was...was he going to kiss me?

He bent his head closer to mine. I could feel his sharp breath on my neck.

"You caught me," He whispered so lightly, it was almost inaudible. The corners of his mouth turned upwards into that smile that melted me entirely.

"So... can I have my bag back?" I asked, trying to change the mood; it was getting to uncomfortable, and I was worrying my cheeks looked like tomatoes, even though my skin was already tanner than most kids.

Fabian snapped back into reality. "Oh... um... yeah." He stuttered, and stood up.

I rolled my eyes; looks like the shy, awkward Fabian was back. But I didn't care; I liked him either way.

He held out a hand, and I placed my own in his. He pulled me easily to my feet, and handed me my bag.

"Here you are...sorry; I was just having some fun."

I chuckled, inwardly sighing with relief as my precious bag was safe in my hands once again. "It's fine... thanks for the fun time, Fabes." I flashed him my million-watt grin.

"Y-you're welcome," Fabian stammered. I bit my lip; he was so adorable when he was nervous.

"Well, we better head back before Victor throws a fit," I told Fabian, and turned around. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something pink in Fabian's hands.

My diary!

"You little pig!" I growled jokingly. Patricia's grammar was rubbing off on me. "I see Jerome has taught you well."

Fabian burst out laughing, and held my diary up high. "You didn't think I would give up this easily, did you Joy?"

I glared at him, and jumped up and tried to grab it, but failed miserably. He had a good five inches on me, so it would be hard.

"Damn you," I muttered. He cracked up at my cursing. Since he looked distracted, I took this as an opportunity.

All in what seemed like one motion; I had grabbed my diary from his loosened grip, and ran as fast as my legs could carry me towards the house.

Just as I was nearing the front door, two arms enveloped my waist, lifting me off of my feet and into the air.

"Fabes!" I screamed while giggling at the same time. "Put me down!"

"Hand over the diary!" Fabian ordered.

"No, it's mine!" I defended.

"Fine, then you'll just have to suffer even more." He started spinning. Way too fast.

"Fabian!" It was rare for me to call him "Fabian", so he had to know I was being serious. "Put. Me. Down!" I cried, but he just continued to spin and laugh at me. Or with me, since I was doubling over with laughter as well.

All of the sudden, Fabian seemed to have lost the balance in his legs, for we both went crashing down onto the grass, giggling hysterically.

"Why do you we keep doing this?" I asked after catching my breath.

"I don't know," Fabian said. "But it's fun!" He tossed my diary towards me, and I caught it with one hand.

Our eyes met, and we stared deeply into each other's orbs. Fabian's face started getting closer, and nerves washed over me. This... this couldn't happen. So, I did the first thing that came to mind.

I tickled him.

**~oOo~**

I felt bad after replaying the memory over in my head. I had two chances that day to kiss him, but I let it slip away from me.

What was I thinking?

But that memory was a special one. Fabian had been like the brother I never had. He had teased me constantly, but he had always been there to pick me up when I fell down.

I looked back up, and saw that Fabian and Nina were walking past me into the dining room for supper.

Holding hands.

I felt tears form in my eyes when Fabian's soft jean fabric brushed against my exposes tan legs. I would do anything to be in Nina's place. Didn't Fabian remember any of our memories? Did he ever think about when I was his best friend?

It was too late, though. The Fabian I knew and loved was gone.

**~oOo~**


	2. My Guardian

The Story of Us

Chapter Two

**~oOo~**

"So, how are things between you and Fabian, Nina?"

As soon as those words left Amber's mouth, my full attention was drawn to her, instead of my homework that I was struggling terribly with. It was driving me mad—every time I heard Fabian's name, I couldn't think straight. Especially now that he and Nina were offically, "Fabina", the couple nickname they had been given.

Nina's cheeks flushed a violent crimson, and she bowed in her head in embarassment. For a moment, I felt kind of bad for her; being put on the spot about her love life. Then, I remembered who was the man in her love-life, and the all-too familar feeling that I loathed resumed in the pit of my stomach.

"Oh, um, everything's... great," Nina admited slowly, the redness fading from her cheeks slightly. My heart sank at the word, "great". I hadn't felt that way about anything in quite a long while.

Amber squealed, Mara stole a quick glance at Nina before returning to her homework, and Patricia half-smiled. While I just sat there, fake-smile plastered on my face, the hatred and jealously boiling inside of me.

"I may not be a total girly-girl," Patricia spoke up, finally adding to the conversation. "But, I must say, you and Fabian look really cute together."

It took all the strength I could muster not to slap Patricia back into sanity. I could feel all of the color draining from my face, my vision become blury and splotchy; like it always did before I was about to cry. I blinked a few times, holding back the storm of tears that was raging inside; causing my eyelids to burn servely.

It was because of the choice of words that had escaped Patricia's mouth; it was because she had said the exact same thing to me.

**~oOo~**

"No, for the last time!" Fabian stated firmly, clearly irritated.

"Please?" I begged desperately. "Pretty, pretty please?"

"No, Joy!" Fabian half-shouted. I flinched at his loud outburst. He took notice of my startled appearance, and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that," Fabian apologized, his voice returning to it's normal volume, filled with soothiness and comfort that made me relax. "But, you can't always rely on others to always be there to lend you their homework to copy off of. You should've done it."

I sighed, and nodded my head in agreement. "I know, but I just get so distracted easily, and it's hard for me to concentrate," I confessed sadly.

Fabian wrapped his free arm around my shoulder in a friendly way, something he frequently did to calm me down. "It's okay, Joy. Everyone learns differently."

That was why I loved Fabian so much. He understood me, and accepted me for who I was. I wasn't the quickest learner, but he was helping me do better.

His grip on my shoulder tightned as we walked by a group of girls standing by their lockers. Those were the girls that made my life hell.

I braced myself as we passed their terrotory, but we seemed to be invisible through their eyes. They didn't even acknowledge my prensense, but the tall, brunette—the leader, Dana—shot Fabian a flirtious smile and gave a three-fingered wave. Fabian didn't do anything in response, he looked completely shocked that a girl had been trying to flirt with him. Especially a pretty girl like Dana.

We rounded the corner and the tightness loosened, but his arm still stayed around my shoulder. My heart was beating ten times as fast as usual as we walked into the classroom. I could feel my palms becoming damp against my books, so I re-postioned my hold on them quickly.

Everyone's eyes seemed to be on us as we shuffled down the isle of desks, our shoes making clicking sounds against the floor. My ears caught bits and pieces of mixed conversation.

"Are they dating now?"

"I didn't even know he liked her like that!"

"They look good together."

Hearing side comments like that made joy fill up inside of me—I have been waiting for far too long for something like this to erupt.

Fabian removed his arm from around me as we sat down at the desk we usually shared. I took a quick side-glance at the clock on the wall; school started in about ten minutes.

"Joy!" Amber called from a few desks behind. I turned around slightly so I could see her.

"What?" I asked.

"Your hair looks pretty today," Amber smiled warmly at me. I always apreciated Amber for being the one to compliment everyone on their looks.

I flipped my hair, and flashed a grin, "Thanks, Ambs."

A snicker from beside me caught my attention, and I whipped back around to face the producer of that sound.

"Something amusing, Fabes?" I inquired suspiciously.

"I—um, no, not at all," Fabian blurted out. "Just—just laughing at some solar-system joke I remembered reading in the library."

Trying hard not to laugh at his lie was merely impossible. My shoulders shook softly with every giggle that escaped from me, and soon I was gasping for breath.

"You're such a geek," I quipped, a teasing smile tugging on the corners of my lips.

"I am not!" Fabian defended quickly. He looked faintly offended, but I could see the enjoyment in his eyes, obviously relieved that we were back to our harmless banters.

"Yes, you are! You just told me you read about solar-system jokes in the library," I pointed out, and folded my arms across my chest. "Now, don't tell me that isn't true."

Fabian rolled his eyes. "Just because a person likes to spend time in the library rather than occupying their time by reading magazines and gossping," his eyebrows rose as he emphized the last four words; he was talking about me, "doesn't make them a nerd."

I bit my lip, and become deep in thought. That was going to be hard to top—leave it to Fabian to make a good point. But I wasn't going to back down.

"Uh, yes it does. Because spending time in the library is what nerds like to do."

"And reading magazines is what selfish, stubborn girls like to do," Fabian shot back.

I gaped at him. "I'm not stubborn, nor am I selfish!"

With a dubious look on his face, he cocked his eyebrows at me in a way that made me realize what I had just said.

"Okay... maybe I'm a little stubborn," I gestured with my fingers to show a tiny amount, "but I am definitely not selfish!"

Fabian smirked. "Prove it."

"What if I don't want to do?" I countered.

"Then I'll just have to keep believing that you're selfish," Fabian answered with a simple shrug.

"But I'm not—" I began, but someone from the desk beside us cut me off.

"You guys are so cute together," Patricia cooed, in a tone that made me cringe. She was only saying that to annoy me; I just knew it. That famous, sly smirk of her's spread across her face, a teasing gleam sparkling in her eyes. "Even when you're arguing like a married couple."

Fabian and I exchanged a quick look, before putting on fake-shocked faces.

"We're not agruing," I defended. "We're having a... creative discussion."

"Yeah," Fabian agreed. "Creative discussion."

"Whatever," Patricia said in monotone. "Deny all you want, but I can still see the feelings in your eyes."

"Please stop acting like this," I ordered timidly. "It's creeping me out... you're acting like Amber."

Fabian doubled over with laughter, and even Patricia cracked a witty grin. I watched Fabian while he laughed... one of the times when I thought he looked the cutest.

Was Patricia right? Did we really look cute together?

**~oOo~**

Snapping back to reality, I realized all of the girls were watching me with concern.

"Are you alright, Joy?" Patricia asked.

"Yeah, uh," I abrupty stood up, "I'm going to go to my room. I'm not feeling too good." It wasn't a complete lie, my stomach was churning misarbley.

"Do you need anything?" Amber questioned as I hastily speed out of the room.

"No, I just need some rest," Swinging the door open, I stepped inside before popping my head out. "I'll see you guys later, yeah?"

The four remaining Anubis girls waved goodbye, uttering farewells at the same moment. With one final wave, I vanished behind the door, and briskly climbed up the stairs. I flung the door to my room—well, our room—and plopped face-first onto my bed, basking in the plushness.

When I was younger, around eleven or tweleve, I used to despise my life. Every detail about it. But that was before Fabian walked into my life. He made me feel alive, like I actually meant something in this crazy world. He made me stronger, he taught me to never give up, or let anyone stop you from doing anything you set your mind to. He loved me, whether in a brother, friend or romantic way, I knew he did.

Now that he doesn't treat me the same, I don't feel that way anymore. I feel like... nothing. Complete and utter nothing. And that's the worst feeling a human being could ever endure.

**~oOo~**

**A/N:** Not really sure how I feel about this one... but I'm gonna post it anyways. I hope you like :)

Alerts, favorites, reviews please :)

~Lyds


	3. He Lied

The Story of Us

Chapter Three

**A/N:** My writing style will be changing. Before the flashback, I will be using present-tense words, like "says, asks, whispers," etc. But during the flashback, it'll be past-tense words, such as "said, asked, whispered", and so on. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy the third chapter!

**~oOo~**

"I hope Gran's doing okay," Nina says to Fabian during breakfast. "I haven't visited in a long time."

Those words caught my attention as I try to listen for Fabian's response while pretending to focus on my conversation with Mara. For the past ten minutes we have spent at breakfast, Mara hadn't left my side, urging me to post her new story on the school's website. Apparently pestering me with tremendous details and interrupting my every chance of turning down her offer would make me agree. Or at least Mara thought so. At first, I'd gone by with just ignoring the persistent brunette. But after five minutes of nonstop yakking, I was ready to pull my brown locks out of my head.

"Mara," I say loudly, and she stops mid-sentence, and furrows her brows in anxiety, her large brown eyes irritating me with the amount of innocence and importune

"Please, Joy! It's a human interest piece—" I interrupt her pleads before she can go into further detail. _Again_.

"Sorry, but this human isn't interested," I flash her a playful smile; letting her know I was only kidding and not trying to hurt her in any way. "Besides, after what Sweety said, I can't even put your name to it."

Mara looks crushed, and I momentarily feel a bit sorry for her. She turns back to her plate, but doesn't continue eating. Everyone else is too caught up in their social lives to notice. Before I can do anything to reassure her, Vera comes into the dining room, looking solemn, and comes to a halt by Nina's chair.

"Nina, dear. May I speak with you in the hall, please?" Vera asks politely. Nina appears to be hesitant, for she nods her head slowly and reluctantly stands up to follow Vera into the hall.

Fabian stares curiously after Nina, frowning as a thoughtful look crosses his face. I recognized that frown; it always appeared whenever he was concentrating on something.

A cry from out in the hallways breaks me from my trance on Fabian's facial features, and he springs up from his seat. Everyone's heads turn to the area where the noise had come from, and Amber, looking quite stunned by the agonizing shout, quickly stands up and follows a panic-stricken Fabian out into the hallway.

"What on _earth_ was that?" Mara asks, her eyes widening with shock. Eddie merely shrugs, and stuffs a spoonful of oatmeal into his mouth, while Jerome looks slightly concerned.

"It sounded like someone was getting abducted by aliens!" Alfie announces, and grins cheekily.

We roll our eyes and groan at his undying determation that ailens do exist.

"Never going to let that dream go, are you, Alfie?" Patricia questions him with a slight sneer.

"It's not a dream," Alfie insists, pouting. "It's real! Ailens do exist."

"Yeah, let me know when a UFO crashes in your backyard and maybe then I will believe you," Patricia scoffs, causing the rest of us to chuckle at her remark. Alfie just continues to pout, slumping in defeat and crosses his arms.

Just then, Nina returns to the dining room, her eyes red and puffy from crying. Fabian has a comforting arm around her shoulder while Amber shuffles silently beside Nina. Instinctively, slight jealously sparks inside of me, but I try my best to ignore it.

"Are you alright, Nina?" Patricia inquires, standing up and approaches Nina, who shakes her head in response.

"What happened?" Mara asks, finally speaking after a few minutes of not talking. Probably due to me turning down her offer, and the lump of guilt returns to the pit of my stomach.

"Her... her Gran passed away early this morning," Fabian told us softly. At the mention of her Gran, Nina sniffles and bows her head, unable to meet our sincere gazes.  
>Patricia, Mara and Alfie gasp a little, while Jerome just stares into space, his face unreadable. He was like that sometimes: whenever something unexpectedly bad happened, Jerome would go into a state of silence and become nearly impossible to figure out.<p>

"I'm so sorry," Patricia wraps her arms around Nina in a tight embrace as Fabian quickly releases his arm from around Nina's shoulder.

Bad memories flood back to me as I watch my housemates comfort the upset American. Memories that I _never _wanted to remember again.

I knew how she felt.

**~oOo~**

"You done with your homework?"

"No, not yet."

"Okay... that's cool..."

"Mhmm."

"How about now?"

"Joy," Fabian growled, eyes not leaving his homework sheet.

For nearly half-hour, we had been sitting in his room, sprawled out on his bed doing our daily batch of homework. I, being one of the less-intelligent students in my class, usually waited until Fabian completed his and copied off of it, but lately he's been more hesitant of that.

"Fabes," I whined, poking his arm. "Please, please can you tell me the answers?" My puppy-dog face was plastered on, and Fabian rolled his eyes when he looked up and saw me.

"Just try and figure it out," he simply said, eyes returned to the paper. His pencil moved swiftly against the paper; another question completed.

I let out an exasperated sigh, "But I don't know how!"

"That's why I always remind you to pay attention," Fabian snaped.

"I know, but I don't like to; the classes are boring," I countered.

Fabian pursed his lips, "God, you can be so stubborn sometimes!"

"And yet you still put up with me," I shot back, and smirked a little at my comeback.

"That's what best friends do, Joy; put up with them no matter how annoying or insane they can be," Fabian informed me.

Just as I opened my mouth to reply, a knock came on the door. Without hesitation, the doorknob turned and in came Trudy, looking distraught, which was highly unusual for her.

"Trudy?" I questioned, standing up to face her, "Is everything alright?" I could feel Fabian rise to his feet behind me.

Trudy sighed, "I'm afraid not, dearie."

"What's wrong, then?"

She sighed again, and then placed her hands on my shoulders, holding a gentle grip. "You're mum just called."

I furrowed my brows as Trudy's words sunk in. What was so bad about my mum calling? Sure, my mum almost never called, but when she did it was usually just to check up on me midway through the term.

"And what's so bad about that?"

Trudy sqeezed my shoulders and sighed again. "You're sister was in a bad car accident a few hours ago... and she isn't going to make it."

I could practically hear the blood rinsing from my head as Trudy's words repeated over and over in my head. Sister... car accident... dying. No, it couldn't be true. She couldn't leave. Not now. Not ever.

"No, this has to be a mistake," I said sharply, and a huge lump formed in my throat as tears threatened to leak from my eyes. "No, she's not dying!"

"Joy," Fabian said soothingly from behind me, replacing Trudy's hands with his own. "Calm down..."

I whipped around. "Calm down?" I shrieked in his face, and he cringed. "You expect me to calm down when my sister is dying?"

"No, Joy, I'm only trying to-"

I didn't bother listening to his stuttered explanations. I sat down on the bed, sinking back into the mattress.

Sister.

Car Accident.

Dying.

Those were the only words I could process. Why'd this happen. Why to her? Why to me? Why to use? My sister and I had a very special connection, and we had been inseparable when we were younger. Now, we weren't as close; but still close enough to know that she would always have my back. She was my role model; my shoulder to cry on, the person I could trust to keep a secret and knew I could talk to about anything.

How could this just be taken away?

"I'm so sorry, dearie," Trudy said sympathetically, "You're mum's coming by soon to take you to the hospital."

I nodded my head, unable to respond. With a quick kiss on my forehead, Trudy left the room, leaving Fabian and I alone.

"Do you want me to leave?" Fabian asked after a long, slightly awkward silence passed over us.

When I didn't respond, (I was too shocked to do anything), he sighed, and began to leave, leaving me lying on the bed, trying hard not to burst into tears.

Halfway towards the door, he took a deep breath and turned around, "Joy, are you sure you want to be alone? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Of course: I'm Joy!" I managed to say, giving him a watery smile.

Fabian shook his head, clearly unconvinced, "You're not okay," he whispered, and strode over to me. He pulled me into his protective arms. I buried my head in the crook of his neck and cried until I'm was worked up I could barely breathe.

"I'm so sorry," he mumered into my hair, rubbing my back in slow circles. I pulled myself out of his grip, but his arms still stayed around me.

"I'm a terrible person," I muttered. "My sister's suffering in a hospital bed, and I'm sitting here, moping about my life."

"No, Joy; look at me," Fabian commanded, cupping my face in his hands.

"You're not a terrible person," he told me. "You're a great person. Don't even think otherwise."

An uncontrollable smile came across my face; Fabian always knew how to make me smile, even when I'm in tears. "Thanks, Fabes. But... I don't know what I'll do without her."

"You have me; you'll always have me," he assured me, carassing the side of my cheek with his thumb.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

**~oOo~**

As I exit my fifth period class, I spot Nina across the hallway, gathering up her books for our last class. I approach her, nerves washing over me but I push them aside.

"Hey," I greet her, and she turns around at the sound of my voice from behind her.

"Oh," her face falls a bit when she sees me, "Hi." Her eyes and nose are still red and raw from crying, and I begin to feel grief for Nina.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about you're Gran," I give her a small smile.

"Thank you," she says earnestly, looking slightly surprised. "I just don't know what I'm going to do without her."

"It gets better. Not completely, but better."

She raises an eyebrow, "And how do you know this?"

I simply shrug, "You're just going to have to take my word for it."

Nina gives me a small smile and turns away. I follow her gaze, and realize she's looking at Fabian, who catches Nina staring at him. His face instantly lights up, and he shots her a big grin.

"You're lucky to have him," I say quietly, shifting my feet as I found sudden interest with my shoes. I was just trying to hide the hurt that Nina didn't need to see.

Nina turns back to me, "Thanks." She finishes grabbing all of her supplies and slams her locker shut. "Well, see you later."

"See you," I mutter, and watch as Nina gets farther and farther away.

Yes, she was very lucky indeed.

**~oOo~**

**A/N:** I particularly enjoyed writing this chapter, though it was a bit sad. I shed a few tears (who am I kidding; I cried like a baby)

Thanks so much for all of the sweet reviews! Keep 'em coming! It would be awesome if I could get up to thirty reviews before the next update. (I've never had this many reviews before!)

Until next time,

~Lyds


	4. I'm a Thunderstorm Inside

The Story of Us

Chapter Four

**A/N:** 31 reviews? Yay! A JUMBO thank-you to my good friend and one of the most amazing authors on this site: MiaAndOak, who reviewed five times just so I could reach my goal. And they were long, descriptive, heart-warming reviews. Mia, this chapter dedicated to you. Thank you so much!  
><strong><br>~oOo~**

_No matter how hard I try, I can't move on. I can't get him off of my mind. He can though; 'cause I__'m just the girl who never crosses his mind. _

**~oOo~**

I jerk awake to the sound of harsh rain pattering against the roof. It echoed loudly throughout otherwise silent house. A sudden flash of light from outside the window brightens up the room for a split second, followed by a roaring rumble that slightly shakes the house, severely startling me.

To say that I loathe thunderstorms would be an understatement. I absolutely hate them. They made me feel unsafe and vulnerable; like there was nothing I could do to protect myself. Sure, finding safe shelter took care of that, but I could never shake that feeling of uncontrollable fear away.

Especially when I was away from home; like now, for instance.

I roll over and glance at the digital clock on my nightstand. 11:34 PM. Great. There's no way I'll be able to fall back asleep with all of the ruckus outside.

Thoughts ponder through my mind as I lay in silence. The past few days have been like a roller-coaster; everything was smooth before it went down. Before I wrote that bashing article on Nina. That bloody American.

I'll admit; perhaps I had gone a bit too far with the writing piece, but it was the truth and unfortunately the truth sometimes hurts. And no matter how many times her friends try to defend her and start an agrument with me, it'll never change my beliefs. She deserved it.

Everyone's being blinded by her. She's practically brainwashed them into thinking I'm this horrible person. Everyone thinks _I'm _the one whose trying to steal everything away from her. _She's _the one whose taken everything away from me in the first place. But nobody believes that. I'm just trying to get back what was rightfully mine, until I was whisked away last term. And now I've been replaced by her, and they've all shut me out. All because of her.

Nina. That bloody _flawless _American. The captain of their secret gang. The girl who can't handle Fabian looking at me for more than two seconds.

The girl Fabian can't get over.

Emotions swim inside of me: like the churning sea during a violent storm. Pain. Sorrow. More pain. It's too much to handle.

A crack of booming thunder snaps me out of my pathetic reverie. I jump in fright again and whimper a little, pulling the covers tightly over my head. My warm comforter is my guardian, not only from the storm; but from the unbearable pain.

_Everyone hates you, Joy..._

_You need to get over yourself..._

_You're just a jealous, over-dramatic bitch..._

_Why don't you just go kill yourself... we were so much better off without you..._

The voices echo in my head; mocking me. They sound oddly like my housemates voices, and I can practically picture them in my mind. Glaring pointedly down at me, identical, disappointed scowls plastered across their faces.

A huge lump burns in my throat, but no moisture is running down my cheeks from my eyes; probably because I've spent the past three nights crying myself to sleep. There were no tears left. Go figure.

The room suddenly flickers with light yet again, followed by the crackling thunder. I bury my face into my pillow, zoning out the frightful noises and tighten grip my comforters had around my body.

I close my eyes and I'm caught up in my thoughts again. Instead of the sneering voices of my classmates repeating, familiar images are flashing through my mind. Another forgotten memory.

**~oOo~**

It's a cold Friday night. Rain is pattering against the house. Alfie and Jerome were watching TV in the living room, Amber was sitting on one of the lounge chairs, reading a magazine; glancing up every few seconds to nag at the boys to turn the TV's volume down. Mara's face was buried behind a book, while Patricia and Fabian were sitting at the table, discussing something.

Just as I approached them, a startiling crack of lighting flashed outside, causing the dim-litted room to burst with light for two seconds. Everyone gasped and jumped in surprise; including me.

"It's okay; it's just a storm," Trudy, who was washing dishes in the kitchen, reassured everyone.

I shivered with fear as the sound of the strike of lightning, more commonly known as thunder, rumbled in the distance. I made a noise that sounded similar to a dog's cry, and covered my face with my hands.

Jerome snickered at me. "Poor, helpless Joy," he cooed with a sneer, sarcasm dripping from every syllable. "Afraid of a little storm?" He cackled with laughter, causing Amber to roll her magazine up and whack him in the arm repeatedly with it. Patricia cheered her on as Jerome struggled to move out of the way, and Mara scooted away from the scene to avoid being hurt.

"Leave her alone, Jerome," Fabian growled, and snaked an arm around my shaking shoulder. I leaned on his shoulder; not wanting to be anywhere else. Well, except for a place without a raging storm.

I couldn't help that I was terrified of thunderstorms; it was just a natural fear that I had inherited from my mum. I hated being teased for something I couldn't control. So having Fabian, my shoulder to lean on, was always nice.

"Don't listen to him," he whispered as his fingers gently rubbed up and down on my arm, sending chills down my spine. "He'd be crying like a baby if a spider was in the same room as him."

I giggled slightly at his comment. Jerome was a whimp when it came to spiders. I had to admit; they were pretty creepy. But only the big ones. The ones that were the size of a penny, I could handle.

"He would," I thought about saying, but another strike of lighting followed by booming thunder stopped me from doing so. I shifted closer into Fabian's side, my head still resting comfortably on his shoulder and his arm still drooped around me.

He was the greatest friend a girl could ever ask for. I was so thankful for him.

**~oOo~**

I had forgotten all about that time. Actually, I had forgotten about the many times Fabian had always been there for me. He's been by my side all along. Until I was pushed out of the picture, Nina came and ruined everything. Destroyed every chance of Fabian and I becoming an item. No matter how hard I try to move on and forget about him, because I'm aware he'll never feel the same way, I can't. The feeling just won't budge.

Now he's convinced I've changed. What a silly, silly boy. How can he say such a thing when he's barely spent any time with me? He's too busy doing whatever it is he, Nina, Patricia, Alfie and Amber are trying, but not succeeding, to do in secret.

I haven't changed one bit. I wish I could say the same about Fabian.

**~oOo~**

**A/N: **I got the idea because there is currently a thunderstorm outside my window. Plus, I used to be afraid of thunderstorms, and one time one occurred while I was hanging out at my guy-friends house and he comforted me. So, it just seemed like something that would happen to Joy and Fabian.

Also, I don't know if Jerome is actually afraid of spiders. They're around fourteen in the flashback, and about sixteen/seventeen on the show, so let's just say he got over it if he isn't actually afraid of them.

Don't hate on me for the Nina bashing. I'm just portraying what I believe Joy is feeling on the inside. Plus, I feel really bad for Joy: especially now that everyone is turning against her. It's just plain mean, even worse than the article she wrote (which wasn't that bad; I've read worse.)

A big thank-you to: , MiaAndOak, Yessiree, xMarchesax, and bree for reviewing!

See that button below? That says 'Review'? Well if you click that and express your thoughts about this chapter, you'll get some free, virtual cookies! Yummy! You're name will also be added to the list above in the next chapter. Plus, you'll make a certain HOA-obsessive fan girl very happy ;)

~Lyds


	5. Lost But Never Found

The Story of Us

Chapter Five

**~oOo~**

"Dinner is ready!"

Vera's voice rang through the house, but I purposely ignore her calls and keep my eyes focused on my laptop. I have been refusing my room, except for school. That was mandatory. I can live without food though. For a limited time. I just can't face my housemates at a time like this; they're all on Nina's side.

A light knock came upon the other side of me door. I briefly glance up, and utter a faint, "Come in", before averting my gaze back to the screen. The knob turns and in walks Patricia, looking hesitant and solemn.

"Hey," she greets me, coming to a stop by the side of my bed.

"Hey," I reply in monotone, not bothering to look at her.

"Are you okay?" She queries, peering down at me with that sympathetic look I only received.

"Oh, sure. My life's just wonderful," I respond dryly, and glare up at her. "But I'm sure your life is just great, now that you have a new best friend and your perfect bad-boy boyfriend."

Patricia just stands there awkwardly for a few seconds, before letting out a sigh and sits on the edge of my bed. "Look, I'm sorry about the backlash you've been getting, but you should've expected it. That article was mean."

I breathe out a huff. "I don't care if it was mean. It was the truth; something that nobody is seeing these days!" I growl through a clenched jaw.

Patricia lets out an exasperated sigh, "Nina's done nothing wrong to you. You're just being overdramatic."

That was it. The tape holding together my fury, sorrow and pain explodes. I clamp my laptop shut and push it off to the side, before sitting up so our faces are inches apart.

"Done nothing wrong?" I echo her statement with disgust. "She stole the guy I've liked since I first laid eyes on him, and stole my best friends and turned them against me! She's turned everyone against me."

Patricia rolls her eyes. "Quit being so dramatic, Joy. You're not going to have many friends left if you keep acting like this," she warns me, that infamous sneering tone hidden in the depths of her words.

"That's exactly what I mean!" I exclaim. "You can't agree with any bad things I say about her. And that's because she's blinded you from seeing them." I stare pointedly at her, struggling not to explode with anger at the redhead. "Besides, I don't even have any friends left, so that was a waste of your lousy advice."

"What are you talking about," she scoffs. "I'm still your friend."

I roll my eyes and purse my lips. "Really? Well it doesn't seem like that from where I'm sitting."

She narrows her eyes at me. "Just because I don't hang out with you all the time doesn't mean we aren't friends."

"Yet, you always have time for Nina," I snap with edge clear in my voice. "And you claim she not your new best friend."

"Why do you keep bringing Nina back up if you dislike her so much?" Patricia inquires, her tone icy; like she was irritated that I was once again dissing the girl who replaced me.

"Because she started this whole mess!" I counter, and throw my hands up in the air for emphasis. "She's the reason Fabian won't even look at me anymore."

Patricia gives me a look, her tone annoyed, "Joy, you and Fabian never went out-"

"But I bloody wanted to!" I cry, breaking off her sentence. She just stares at me, her eyes unblinking. Her mouth is agape at my outburst.

I sigh, silent for a moment to get my emotions under control, before any more damage occurs. I open my mouth to speak, but instead of words; a distraught cry escaped from within me. Before I knew it, I was sobbing into my knees. I can feel Patricia hovering over me, most likely unsure of what to do.

"Joy," she says quietly. Too quiet for Patricia. I look up, my vision blurry from crying, and sniffle.

"What?" I snap, and Patricia cringes a bit at my hostile voice. She heaves out a deep sigh, before looking at me dead in the eye. I can only hold her intense gaze for a moment before a lump forms in my throat and I force myself to lower my head and shift my eyes to the pattern on my comforter so I don't burst into tears again.

"Look, I know you're life has been tough for the past couple of years. You know, with your sister dying and-"

Instantly, I jerk my head up as the words linger in the air. She pauses and stares at me. I can see the look of recognition in her eyes as her jaw drops a bit, while I clench my fists; practically fuming inside. Tears burn in my eyes, but I hold them back. Crying wasn't going to solve anything.

"Don't. Talk. About. That," I hiss at her, and she holds up her hands in surrender.

"Sorry. I forgot you were still a bit touchy about that subject," she apologizes, throwing me a sympathetic look.

"It's only been four years, Patricia. You can't expect me to get over something like that so quickly," I spit at her, crossing my arms.

"I know," she sighs, and folds her arms as well, looking down at the pattern on my sheets. After a long silence, she looks up. My eyes are still focusing downward, gazing at nothing in particular.

"Do you still miss her?" She asks softly. Patricia's voice always got awkwardly quiet during serious conversations like this.

"Yeah. A lot," I reply, not bothering to look up.

"I do too," she admits with a little chuckle. Those words cause me to tilt my head up and advert my vision her, as a few tears begin to fall from her eyes. I couldn't believe it. Patricia was actually crying! That was a sight you don't see every day. I have only see her cry a mere two times during our friendship.

"It feels like just yesterday we were going to her funeral." Patricia says.

The memory of that fatal day flashes into my mind. The funeral hadn't been the only disappointing part.

**~oOo~**

"You look good," Fabian commented, eyeing my black dress that fell a few inches below my knees. It was a silky material, and flowed as I walked next to him into the church. We, Fabian, Patricia, my parents, and I, were attending my late sister's funeral. It was a Sunday, so we didn't have to worry about missing any school.

"I wish I felt the same," I said sadly, and he patted my shoulder comfortingly.

"We all do," he assured me, and I gave him a small smile. We walked in silence through the church, where many chairs were set up in neat rows. I sat in the first row next to my mother and father, while Fabian sat beside me. Patricia took the seat next to him, and the rest were sat upon by other relatives and friends of my sister. My sister, one the most beautiful, genuinely kind girls I had ever known.

The preacher began the ceremony for my sister. He talked about what a generous person she had been, how she had been so intelligently bright, and how it was a horrible tragedy she had been taken so young. Then, several people went up to speak for my sister; my grandma, a teacher of hers, and her best friend. The same words were being repeated: how much of a wonderful person she had been.

I suddenly felt very hot: like a wave of heat had just washed over me. The warmness was suffocating. My stomach churned miserably, and I wanted to cry, though was pointless. I hadn't been able to produce one single tear in two days. I hadn't eaten in three days and the last time I had drunk something was during dinner two nights before. Why should I eat and drink when my sister couldn't anymore?

My head pounded violently. I turned around to make sure no one was actually banging my head with a frying pan. I now felt dizzy; as if I was being forcefully spun by something strong. My vision was splotchy, and the voices around me were so slow, like someone pressed a slow-motion button on a remote. I began to worry when my body started to wobble uncontrollably. Fabian noticed, and his arms outstretched to take hold of my shoulders. Just as I felt his touch, I collapsed back into my chair and my world went black.

**. . .**

"Joy?"

The voice sounded like was coming through a long tube. It was hard to identify, but it sounded so familar.

My eyelids fluttered and soon my vision is filled with light. It's too bright, so I squinted instead. I could make out figures sitting on the edge of the bed. Two figures; one was a brunette and the other a redhead. Suddenly, it was like a lightbulb brightened in my head, filling me with knowledge. It was Fabian and Patricia.

I opened my eyes wider, and my friends grinned with relief. I looked down at my arm, where IVs had been placed. My arm was a bit sore, but nothing too harmful. I felt weak and a bit helpless. Memories came flooding back to me: my sister dying, the starvation, the funeral, and me passing out. That must of been why I was in a hospital bed with IVs poked into my arms.

"You're awake," Patricia exclaimed. Fabian shushed her. I gave her a weak smile and averted my eyes to Fabian. I noticed the rawness around his eyes, and the way his chin was quivering as he tried to maintain his smile.

"I'll go tell the doctor and your parents you're awake," Patricia announced, and left the room briskly.

"I was so worried about you," he whispered to me once the door slammed shut. "You hadn't eaten or drank in days, and I knew I should've urged you too, but I didn't. And then you passed out at the funeral, and, I-I..." He stopped, as tears came rolling down his slightly flushed cheeks like a waterfall. "This is all my fault," he croaked and placed his head in his hands.

"This is not your fault," I tried to say firmly, but my voice sounded more hoarse than I intended it to be. "I shouldn't of starved myself. Not to mention make myself dehydrated." I reached out, and tugged on his arm. He let me pull his arm from guarding his face, and I took his hand in mine.

"This isn't your fault, Fabes," I reassured him. He looked up and met my eyes. The corners of his lips turned up in a small half-smile. I squeezed his hand and stared deep into his beautiful eyes. Those eyes that were so mesmorizing.

Patricia chose that exact moment to reenter the room. Fabian quickly dropped my hand and we avoided each other's eyes as Patricia sat back down.

"The doctor's coming in a few minutes," Patricia told me, and then turned to Fabian. "We got five minutes left with her before her parents' turn."

He nodded and his eyes moved to peer out the window beside my bed. We sat in silence. It was an awkward silence, mixed with uncertainty of what to say.

"Hope wouldn't want this for me, would she?" I asked them, breaking the quietness. I got two vehement head shakes in response.

"I miss her," I whispered. Finally I was able to make a few tears drip down from my eyes, but I wiped them away.

"We miss her too," Fabian agreed, looking at Patricia who confirmed his statement with a nod.

"We'll help you get through this, though," he switched his gaze back to me and smiled in an assuring manner. "Like I said; 'You'll always have me'. I don't break my promises."

"You'll always have me too," Patricia added. "Even when I'm grumpy and stubborn."

Fabian rolled his eyes, while I chuckled. Even Patricia cracked a smile.

Even though I was in the hospital, I felt like the luckiest girl for having two supportive best friends.

**~oOo~**

"Joy?" Patricia questions, shaking me out of my flashback. "Are you alright? You like blacked out for a few minutes."

I nod my head. "Yeah, I'm alright," I say, even though I'm anything but alright.

She sighs in relief and stands up. "Good. I'm going to go eat. I'll bring something up for you after, yeah?"

I don't say anything, just nod again as my response. Patricia seems to see right through that nod, and cocks her head to the side, lips formed in an uncertain frown.

"You sure you're okay?" She asks, her hand resting on the doorknob while she stares at me, her eyes searching for answers.

"I'm fine, Trish," I tell her, annoyance obvious in my voice.

She smiles, still looking a bit unconvinced. "If you say so." She turns the knob and as quick as lightning; she's gone from the room. Once I hear the click of the closed door, I bury my head in my hands, the tears I had been holding in finally escaping. I cry for my lost sister, my lost pride, and most importantly: my lost friends. Three things I knew I would never get back.

**~oOo~  
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**A/N: **Holy flipping Anubis! 42 reviews? A big thank-you to: xMarchesax, MiaAndOak, itz-me-and-drama, Yessiree, Nobody Knows But Me, PeddieForever, and Abookworm17 for making that possible. I hope you continue to read, enjoy and review each chapter.

I have never attended a funeral before, so I had to look up some information. I apologize if things weren't correct.

Also, I know that there wasn't much Fabian/Joy interaction before the flashback. That's because I had this instinct to have a powerful conversation between Patricia and Joy, because they have been having a lot of those on the show lately. Hopefully I portrayed them well. And if I didn't, I hope you still liked it

~Lyds


	6. True Friends

The Story of Us

Chapter Six

**~oOo~**

_Friends come and go, but the memories will be forever engraved into our souls. Some friends walk out of our lives without a trace left behind, but true friends leave footprints on our hearts that never fade away. _

**~oOo~**

Loud music is blasting through the speakers in the living room of the Anubis house, numerous people swaying and bobbing their heads to the music. I politely excuse myself through the crowds of people blocking my path to the kitchen, and sigh in relief once I break free from the tight crowd and discover I am alone in the kitchen.

For the past three days, I could barely _breathe_ right, let alone think straight. It had never crossed my mind how much pressure the Sibunas had weighing down on their poor shoulders, with a creepy spirit and three untrustworthy, pernicious villains threatening to stand in their way of finding the mask. Whilst playing the Senet game, and nearly losing Fabian, I had begun to realize that _that_ was their reality- not knowing if one may wake up tomorrow. It was an absolutely atrocious thought, and it terrified me that they all had those thoughts pondering in the back of their minds.

Resting my hands on the smooth countertops, I exhale air out of my nose and inhale a fresh swarm of the current air circulating my area. _Breathe_, _Joy_. _Just_ _breathe_. They're all safe, all free. You've done you're part. Just as I'm calming down, a voice from beside me sets me on edge again.

"Hey." I turn to see Fabian standing next to me, eyebrows furrowed in concern. "You okay?" he questions. I nod vigerously, even though I'm feeling quite far from okay.

"I'm fine; I'm just still a bit shaken up from the incident earlier," I tell him, referring to the mere hours before where I nearly died in Fabian's arms, after blocking him from Nina's lightning bolt.

The concern in his eyes is overcome by compassion, and his jaw clenches as he remembers my second time of nearly dying. "I thought you were really gone, you barely had a pulse," he whispers, his voice filled with solemness and slight agitation.

"Well, at least I'm still here," I remind him, trying to focus on the positive side. "Which is good, because I've been meaning to apologize to you."

Fabian's eyebrows knit together. "For what?"

I sigh, trying to find the right way to say what I wanted to say. "For... trying to keep you and Nina from getting back together." Recognition fills up in his brown orbs, and I pause. But he doesn't say anything, just stands there, looking straight at me while waiting for me to go on with my apology.

"I know, it was wrong. But, I was just so hurt and upset that Nina had practically stolen you from me. I mean, you could barely look at me without her exploding. I know we were never going out or anything, but we used to have such a deep connection, and I always believed that you liked me, deep down, as much as I liked you. But then I was kidnapped last term, and I come back to find that everyone has moved on. Completely forgotten the place I had in their lives." I finish my explanation without any breaks, biting my bottom lip to stop the tears from flowing out of my stinging eyes.

"I could never replace you," Fabian says softly. I look straight into his eyes, searching. All I find is genuine earnestness that gives me no other choice but to believe his statement. But that doesn't stop me from opposing.

"Really? 'Cause that's what it seemed like! You and Nina have so much chemistry, relationship _and_ friendship wise. Just like we did." I say sadly, staring at the floor while shifting my weight on each foot. "It felt like you forgot about me. I know you were busy helping Nina find the mask, I get that. But every time I tried to talk to you, it just felt like you were pushing me away. Like you were pushing all of our memories out of your

mind."

Fabian looks astonished once I finish. "I would _never_ forget the memories!" he exclaims.

My heart begins to soar, beating as fast as a galloping horse. "You wouldn't?" I ask, hope obvious in my tone.

Fabian shakes his head vehemently. "Of course not. How could I forget the time you nearly tickled me to death," he jokes, chuckling a bit. I laugh as the memory flashes through my mind.

"That was only because you stole my diary!" I shoot back, throwing him a playful smile.

"Well, you always stole my homework answers," he retorts playfully. I roll my eyes and smile as that memory plays through my mind as well.

"At least I wasn't so nerdy that I looked up _solar system jokes_ in the library," I tease, and he nudges me gently with his elbow. I push his elbow away, giggling like a maniac.

"At least I wasn't afraid of thunderstorms," he teases me back, and I can see the enjoyment of our amusing, harmless banter sparkling in his eyes.

"I kinda still am," I mumble, suddenly very shy. He lets out a wheezy laugh and I uncontrollably laugh in harmony with him. Suddenly, it feels like old times, where he and I were the tandem duo, always smiling and sharing jokes wherever we were. I miss those times, but this moment felt just like one of those.

"Remeber your first day at Anubis house?" he inquires after we catch our breath from cracking up into hysterical fits of laughter. Instantly, the memory came flooding back to me like a movie. _This_ was a movie: all of the flashbacks was like the story of Fabian and I. And I couldn't wait to tell it.

**~oOo~**

I awoke to the smell of cooking bacon drifting through the house, and immediately close my eyes in pain due to the bright sunlight gleaming into my room. _Our_ room, I mean. I sat up in my bed, stretching my cramped figure, and looked at Patricia's bed. The sheets were wrinkled, but appeared to be empty. Yawning, I sank back into my plush pillow, and rolled over onto my side, peeking at the digital clock on my nightstand. 7:30. School started at eight o'clock sharp. Even though I was dreading my first day, I certainly didn't want to be late.

I popped upright and threw the sheets back, scrambling out of bed and around my room. My newly unpacked clothes were already hanging up in the closest, along with other various items I couldn't live without. I skimmed through the hanging shirts, smiling in success once my eyes catch the white button-down shirt, maroon and gold stripped tie, maroon blazer, gray knee-length pencil-skirt, and the black flats I had chosen to wear with my uniform. I quickly removed my baggy pajamas from my body and hurriedly put on my school unifor, briefly glancing at the mirror to make sure I looked presentable for my first day. I grimaced as I caught the sight of my hair, which greatly resembled a bird's nest. Combing through it hastily, I pulled my chocolate locks back into a tight coil on the back of my head. I once again gazed at my reflection, and felt satisfied at the outcome.

I grabbed my book-bag, and flung the door open, not bothering to watch where I was going as I rushed down the hall and clomped down the staircase, hoping to make it to the dining room in time to have _something_ for breakfast.

**. . . **

I bursted my first-period door open just as the bell for school to commence rings. Every pair of eyes is on me and the room is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. So much for blending in on my first day.

My teacher, who's called Mrs. Andrews, looked the most effected by my late arrival. "Glad to see you've decided to join us, Joy," she says curtly.

Heat crept into my cheeks as a few of my classmates snickered. "Sorry, I... got lost." I inwardly scolded myself for my lame excuse, but Mrs. Andrews seemed to buy it.

"I understand. It is, after all, your first day. Just try and be on time from now on, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," I said meekly. She nodded her head once in confirmation.

"Right, you may go ahead and take your seat." She pointed to the middle section of the classroom, where a boy with swept dark-brown hair was engaged in a thick book, an open chair beside him. I'm almost positive he stays in the House of Anubis with me; I had talked to him a little during my first day yesterday, but not a lot.

I reluctantly turned on my heel and swept over to the desk, slidding into the seat. The boy glanced up from his book, acknowledging my sudden presence. He gave me a small, but genuine smile, and I couldn't help but smile back. I opened my mouth to start up a friendly conversation, but Mrs. Andrews cut me off by beginning class with a few announcements, including the clarification of the the new student-me-and other things I don't bother listening to. The boy had placed a bookmark in his book and was listening intensively to Mrs. Andrews every word.

I took out my notebook, and slowly ripped out a section of paper to cease as much of the noise it could make as possible. Grabbing a pen from my pencil pouch, I quickly scribbled a few sentences down in my neat calligraphy, folded it up and tossed it into the boy's lap. It rolled off his knee and landed on the floor with a soft _tap_ and he broke his concentration away from the yakking Mrs. Andrews to pick up my note. I watched him out of the corner of my eye and smirked a bit at the way his lips fomed a slight frown, eyebrows furrowed, and eyes shown with seriousness as he read the note.

_Hey, I'm Joy! You looked quite intrigued by your book. What are you reading? _

I pretended to focus my attention on the my blabbing teacher who seems to be drawing out the point to an even slower pace than necessary. Excitement sparkled inside of my once I felt something ricochet off of my thigh, and I clamped my palm on top of it before it could reach the ground. I unfolded the note, admiring his beautiful penmanship.

**I know, you are staying in the same house as me. I'm Fabian. The book's called _The Solar System is Your Friend. _And we need to be as secretive as possible if we want to go uncaught by Andrews. She has eyes like a hawk and ears like a bat. **

_The Solar System is Your Friend? You've gotta be kidding me! And thanks for the warning, I think she's looked at me suspiciously a few times. _

**No, it clearly states it in the title. And she's probably staring at the two class prank kings behind us, Jerome and Alfie. They live in Anubis House as well. **

_Okay, sorry. I've just never met anyone who likes the solar system. Oh... yeah, that makes sense, I remember them. Kinda hard not to._

**It's fine. I'm really into astronomy, so that's why I love to read about it. **

_That's cool! I prefer fashion magazines, though. _

**I figured since you're carrying one with you. **

_You're paying attention to what I'm carrying with me to class? _

**No, I just caught a glimpse of it when you sat down. My little sister likes to read the same magazines. **

_You have a sister too? I have an older sister. She used to go to school here, but she got accepted into a dance academy in America. _

**Yeah, but she's a pain sometimes. I still love her. She's eight so she can't go to school here yet. **

_Aren't all siblings a pain? _

**It seems like it. **

_My sister's my role model, but the only thing that bugs me are her stupid nicknames she gives me. _

**I know how you feel. My sister couldn't say, "Fabian", when she was little, so she called me, "Fabes", instead. And she _still_ does! **

_Fabes... that's so cute! I think I'll call you that. _

**I shouldn't of told you that... why can't pen erase... **

_Too late! You're stuck with me calling you that. _

**Oh well... at least you seem nice. Perhaps I shall call you... hmm... **

_I know, it's impossible to think of a nickname for Joy. I hate that!_

**Well, what does your sister call you? **

_I'd rather not share that... it's embarrassing. _

**Come on! I told you an embarrassing nickname, now you gotta tell me one! **

_Fine, fine. She calls me "Sparky", because I used to be obsessed with sparklers when I was young. _

**That's not as bad as Fabes. **

_Are you crazy? It's worse! I hate it, but she refuses to stop calling me that. _

**I think it's kind of cute... but don't worry, I won't torture you by calling you that. I like Joy better. **

_Thank you! I like Joy a lot better, too. _

**You know, I'm glad you came here, Joy. You're one of the few people here who actually sees through my nerdy façade. **

_I am too. And you don't seem nerdy to me... just more intelligent than others, which is a good thing. Someone like you is a person I'd wanna be friends with. _

**Are you saying you wanna be friends? **

_Yeah, I'd like to, as long as you're okay with it, Fabes. _

**Of course... friends it is. But, you need to understand that I may have to remove your voice box if you call me Fabes too many times. **

I had a big smile tugging on my lips as I read his last note. I stole a glance at Fabian, who caught my eyes and smiled a whole-heartedly smile that brightened up his whole face. Yes, he was definitely a boy I wanted to be friends with.

_I'm willing to take the risk. _

And that, little did I know, was the beginning to our beautiful friendship.

** ~oOo~**

We both share simultaneous smiles as we remember the day we became friends. The day it all began: the best decision of my life.

"That was a good day," I say, and he nods in agreement. His face suddenly grows sincere and filled with affection, and he takes a deep breath.

"Look, Joy, I'm sorry. I've been such a horrible friend lately, and you deserved better." He rests a comforting hand on my shoulder. "You're a wonderful person, Joy. And someday, a very lucky guy will realize that."

Tears brim my eyes, and I unexpectedly fling my arms around him, pressing my body tightly against his protective frame. I feel his arms go around my shoulders, resting his chin ontop of my head as I close my eyes. We hadn't hugged like this in _so_ long, and it felt so good, so relaxing. So right.

I open my eyes and look out the kitchen window and across the room to see Nina's gran and Trudy standing in the doorway. I pull apart from Fabian, who seems a bit unprepared for that, and follows my gaze. He instantly looks happy and relieved and is about to take off, before looking back at me. Like he's asking for my permission to leave.

Laughing, I push him out of the kitchen and towards the walkway to the living room. "Go! Go find her! Go get her back!" I encourage, meaning every word I said. He chuckles and turns around, blocking me from pushing him anymore.

"Thank you, Joy," he says sincerely, and leans down. His soft lips press against my cheek for a split-second, before he quickly pulls away and dashes over to Nina's gran. I touch the spot where his lips where mere seconds before; flabbergasted. Even though I knew the kiss was only a friendly gesture, it still didn't cease my shock and utter happiness. I never expected Fabian to do something like that; especially in the state we were in. Then again, this was the House of Anubis, and I've learned to expect the unexpected after living here for six years.

Coming back to reality, I hear the familiar squeals of an excited Amber as she pushes the double-doors open, and I rush out of the kitchen to follow her. As I soon as I exit along with my other housemates, I find Fabian and Nina, embraced, and judging by the looks on their faces, sharing a passionate moment before we interrupted them. Everyone approaches the blushing couple with open arms, including me, while we shout in victory at the finally reunited couple. And I'll admit: I was happy for Fabian. I had known all along they were always perfect for each other, but jealously can change a person. Immensely and destructively destroy who they truly are; like it did to me.

But I had my Fabes back; the one I had always known and loved unconditionally. We made it through thick and thin; through the good and the bad. He was a true friend. And those were the best kind.

**~oOo~**

**A/N: **Wow... I can't believe this is the last chapter. Words cannot even begin to describe how blessed I am to have so many people who enjoyed this story. You, my lovely readers, have given me the confidence and strength as a writer that I never had before. Thank you a billion and infinity times for everyone who read, reviewed, favorited and subscribed to this story. Having such wonderful supporters made this story so much more enjoyable to write. Thanks again! I hope I ended this story in the best way I could. Reviews, positive, constructive, logged in or anonymous, are always welcome and very much appreciated.

This entire story is dedicated to skittles42400, who has been my best friend through thick and thin, and who I have cherished so many great memories with.

Well... I guess this is goodbye, for now. I promise you'll be seeing more from me soon.

~Lyds


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